Delphinids of southern Africa: A review of their distribution, status and life history

Eighteen species of delphinids have been recorded from Africa, south l 7°S. This review includes analyses the distribution and status, life history feeding habits for each species, primarily using published data strandings, incidentally caught animals sightings. Although there is little known most distributed over continental shelf, it appears that presently human-induced threat to these. However, more research emphasis should in future be placed on possible detrimental interactions due overfishing delphinid prey stocks. Increased commercial fishing pressure will inevitably also increase between fishery affected delphinids. Only three inshore are considered vulnerable: Heaviside's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus heavisidil), bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) KwaZulu-Natal Namibia, Inda-Pacific hump-backed (Sousa chinensis) KwaZulu-Natal. endemic and, although probably able sustain mortalities following with gear, may become negatively impacted activities increase. The dolphin population Namibia localised its therefore vulnerable any coastal development or expansions, while they subjected ongoing incidental catches shark nets, heavy pollution levels, habitat destruction increased competition fishermen limited food resources. In KwaZulu-Natal, same pressures as experienced by dolphins, albeit severely, Mozambique occasionally gillnets a targeted fishery. generally an offshore southern right whale (Lissodelphis peronii) extremely within planned expansion driftnet fisheries off carefully monitored which impact this population.